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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

quick question for CMs - can your own children have friends to play? does this affect your ratios?

12 replies

harpsichordcarrier · 01/02/2007 13:10

if the friend doesn't pay for "care" and is just on a play date?a friend of dd1's has asked her for lunch but it will put the ratios over her Ofsted minimum I think.
would that be OK, as long as I am not a "client"?
tia
HC xx

OP posts:

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StrawberrySnowflakes · 01/02/2007 13:13

interesting to know actually???my certificate says 'care for no more than 2 under 5(plus dd), but on flip side, your right, if theres no charge going on?????

mumlove · 01/02/2007 13:20

Hi if you are the person caring for that child then you do have to include them in your numbers as their parent will not be there.

SillyBillyBee · 01/02/2007 13:23

I've also been told that if the childs parent is not there you are responsible for them and must include them in your numbers, charge or no-charge.

Original poster

harpsichordcarrier · 01/02/2007 13:38

gosh that's really harsh on the children of childminders isn't it? that they can't have anyone to play

OP posts:

mykidzrmyworld · 01/02/2007 13:42

it is included in your numbers im afraid

StrawberrySnowflakes · 01/02/2007 13:43

i know, im lucky at min as dd's firend is one of my mindees, but i would enjoy her having a diff friend over once i a while, saying that most of her friends parents would stay so i/my parents dont mind that, so long as im not sat with cuppa and feet up..its a play date!

mumlove · 01/02/2007 13:43

I was glad when my DD went into the 5-8 yr age group because it made it so much easier as I have no one else in that group yet.

WanderingTrolley · 01/02/2007 13:44

When I have a mindee's pal to play it's always on a day that won't send me over the top, so to speak.

mogs0 · 01/02/2007 22:31

I asked my ofsted inspector about this and was told that it would be ok for ds to have a play date. I generally only have his friends round when I have one mindee (for my own sanity!!) so it wouldn't affect my numbers anyway.

agalch · 02/02/2007 07:12

When my boys were very small i never had their friends round,Now they are 11 and 15 and i do have days when i am over my numbers,

I am registered for 6 under 16 so my ds's count in my numbers.I think it's nonsense to expect my 15 yr old to never have his mate/s or his gf round after school because i am working.They generally eat/chill/play music upstairs or in the living room while i am working in the playroom.

My 11 year old doesn't often have someone round but i do try to make it a day when dp is off so i don't go over my numbers.

nannynick · 02/02/2007 07:15

There is a tribunal case that deals with Overminding, which mentions friends.
Spicer v Ofsted Enjoy reading this one - there were 16 children! See 56. Conditions - for where the ruling states that for this particular case "So as not to adversely affect her care of the children she is childminding (to comply with National Standard 2.2) and with her consent, she shall not care for more than four children aged eight or over (irrespective of reward)."

Doesn't state about friends as such, but would suggest to me that friends will count in the number of minded children.

dmo · 02/02/2007 10:13

i was told by Ofsted that friends of my ds affected my numbers
therefore friends visited at weekends
now they are both over 8 i think i should be ok but now they are old enough to call for friends themsevles and play out

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